A PARADIGM SHIFT IN EARLY INTERVENTION SERVİCES:FROM CHILD-CENTEREDNESS TO FAMILY CENTEREDNESS

Selda ÖZDEMİR ¹

Early intervention is an integrated developmental service available to the families of children, between birth and three years of age, for whom there are developmental concerns due to identified disabilities, or whose typical development is at risk due to certain biological, medical, and environmental circumstance. Current early intervention practice has been called to move away from a practice in which therapeutic and educational services are designed only for the child, to a practice that emphasizes support of the strengths and effectiveness of families to facilitate the child’s growth. Family-centered services characterized, primarily by a fundamental respect for families; attention to family-identified concerns, priorities, and resources; recognition of the family as the ultimate decision maker; and collaboration between families and professionals. This article reviews and integrates available evidence about theoretical and empirical background relating to family-centered practice

Keywords
Early Intervention, Family-Centered Services, Youn,